GAME launches unattractive new £36 loyalty card scheme

UPDATE 22/5/17 11.05am: GAME has clarified more details of its startling new £36 loyalty card scheme, GAME Elite, which was first unveiled last Friday.

Speaking to Eurogamer this morning, a spokesperson for the chain detailed the "birthday gift" which GAME Elite card holders will receive: a dollop of 2000 Points (worth £5) in their birthday month.

The retailer also confirmed that GAME Elite's higher reward points tiers were not on top of those offered to standard (free) reward card holders - so 10 per cent of game's price would indeed correspond directly to £5 worth of points.

"The 10 per cent includes the two per cent you receive as a normal reward member," GAME's spokesperson confirmed.

Does the offer of bonus points on your birthday help, or would you prefer to see something different offered instead? Let us know in the comments.

ORIGINAL STORY 19/5/17 10.45am: GAME has launched a new Elite loyalty card scheme which costs an eye-watering £36 a year.

Pay up and you will get extra reward points and a wider range of discounts.

GAME's standard reward card, which is free, offers a flat two per cent back in reward points for all purchases and one per cent on trade-ins.

The new Elite loyalty card will instead give you 10 per cent back on games and accessories, four per cent back on consoles, phones or tablets and two per cent back on trade-ins.

Member-only discounts at launch include Destiny: The Collection for £20 if you buy it in-store, £20 off selected Xbox One S bundles and a PlayStation VR prize draw.

Elite members are also promised a "birthday gift".

It's difficult to see much reward in this reward card scheme. For most, profiting from it is will require purchasing a large number of games over 12 months to benefit from the amount spent on membership.

In rough terms, you would need to buy 10 full price (£40) games within a 12 month span, all from GAME, to get another game free - and you're still paying for the privilege.

GAME does offer one lifeline - "If you have been a member for 12 full consecutive months, and you receive less points back from purchases than the fee you have paid for your membership for those 12 months, we will give you the difference back in points," the scheme's website states.

But, even then, members will still likely spend their year earning money back through purchases - and this policy ensures their money stays within the GAME system as reward points, needing to be claimed.

As an introductory offer, the card scheme is just £33 until the end of June.